Department of Health and Human Services


Part 1. Overview Information
Participating Organization(s)

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Components of Participating Organizations

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Funding Opportunity Title

NINDS Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards for Individual Predoctoral Fellows in MD-PhD Programs (F31)

Activity Code

F31 Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Grant Award

Announcement Type

Reissue of PAR 11-127

Related Notices

  • August 29, 2014- See Notice NOT-OD-14-129. eRA Commons Username Required for Sponsor in Individual Fellowship Grant Applications to NIH and AHRQ.
  • June 4, 2014 - Notice NOT-14-074 supersedes instructions in Section III.3 regarding applications that are essentially the same.
  • March 14, 2014 - See Notice NOT-NS-14-018. Discontinuation of this PAR after the January 7, 2015, due date.
  • November 27, 2013 (NOT-OD-14-027) - NIH to Require Use of Updated Electronic Application Forms for Due Dates on or after January 25, 2014. Forms-C applications are required for due dates on or after January 25, 2014.

Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number

PAR-13-127

Companion Funding Opportunity

None

Number of Applications

See Section III. 3. Additional Information on Eligibility.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s)

93.853

Funding Opportunity Purpose

The purpose of this individual predoctoral research training fellowship is to provide support for promising doctoral candidates who are enrolled in combined MD-PhD programs, who will be performing dissertation research and training in scientific health-related fields relevant to the mission of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Key Dates
Posted Date

February 28, 2013

Open Date (Earliest Submission Date)

April 2, 2013

Letter of Intent Due Date(s)

Not Applicable

Application Due Date(s)

May 2, 2013 then Standard dates apply, by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.

AIDS Application Due Date(s)

Standard AIDS dates apply, by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.

Scientific Merit Review

Standard dates apply

Advisory Council Review

Not applicable for Fellowships

Earliest Start Date

Standard dates apply

Expiration Date

(New Date January 8, 2015 per NOT-NS-14-018), Originally May 8, 2016

Due Dates for E.O. 12372

Not Applicable

Required Application Instructions

It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the Individual Fellowship SF424 (R&R) Application Guide except where instructed to do otherwise (in this FOA or in a Notice from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts). Conformance to all requirements (both in the Application Guide and the FOA) is required and strictly enforced. Applicants must read and follow all application instructions in the Application Guide as well as any program-specific instructions noted in Section IV. When the program-specific instructions deviate from those in the Application Guide, follow the program-specific instructions. Applications that do not comply with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

Table of Contents

Part 1. Overview Information
Part 2. Full Text of the Announcement
Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
Section II. Award Information
Section III. Eligibility Information
Section IV. Application and Submission Information
Section V. Application Review Information
Section VI. Award Administration Information
Section VII. Agency Contacts
Section VIII. Other Information

Part 2. Full Text of Announcement


Section I. Funding Opportunity Description

The overall goal of the NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) program is to help ensure that a diverse pool of highly trained scientists is available in appropriate scientific disciplines to address the Nation's biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs. More information about NRSA programs may be found at the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) website.

The purpose of this predoctoral fellowship (F31) award is to provide support for promising doctoral candidates who will be performing dissertation research and receive training in scientific health-related fields relevant to the mission of NINDS. This NINDS Kirschstein-NRSA for Individual Predoctoral Fellows will provide up to five years of support for research training which leads to the PhD or equivalent research degree, for applicants who are enrolled in a dual degree program that will confer both a medical (MD or equivalent) and a research (PhD or equivalent) degree.

Applicants for this Kirschstein-NRSA F31 award must propose a dissertation research project and a training program that fall within the research and training mission of NINDS. The proposed predoctoral research training should be designed to enhance the fellow's understanding of the tools and concepts of neuroscience and to develop skills necessary for a productive, independent research career. The training should provide the applicant with the opportunity to interact with members of the scientific community at appropriate scientific meetings and workshops (including NIH-sponsored meetings, where available). The application should document the need for the proposed research training and the expected value of the proposed fellowship experience as it relates to the individual’s goals for a career as an independent researcher. It is expected that the research training and goals will complement, and take advantage of, training obtained from the pursuit of the medical degree.

Prospective fellowship applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the Director of the NINDS Office of Training, Career Development and Workforce Diversity to determine whether the planned research and training fall within the NINDS mission.

Section II. Award Information
Funding Instrument

Grant: A support mechanism providing money, property, or both to an eligible entity to carry out an approved project or activity

Application Types Allowed

New
Resubmission

Renewal: Individual fellowship awards are generally not renewable. In rare cases in which fellowship awardees require further fellowship support, they should consult with NIH staff to obtain advice regarding submission of a renewal application.

The OER Glossary and the SF424 (R&R) Individual Fellowship Application Guide provide details on these application types.

Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards

The number of awards is contingent upon NIH appropriations and the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications.

Award Budget

Award budgets are composed of stipends, tuition and fees, and institutional allowance, as described below.

Note: NIH Support will be provided for applicants while participating full time in a research degree program. Support will not be provided for Medical School costs or for effort expended towards obtaining a medical degree.

Award Project Period

Individuals may receive up to 5 years of aggregate Kirschstein-NRSA support at the predoctoral level, including any combination of support from institutional training grants (e.g., T32) and an individual fellowship award. Project period normally may not exceed 5 years and is limited to the time devoted to full time research effort towards fulfillment of the PhD or equivalent doctoral research degree.

Other Award Budget Information
Stipends

Kirschstein-NRSA awards provide stipends as a subsistence allowance to help defray living expenses during the research and clinical training experiences.

The most recent stipend levels are described on the Kirschstein-NRSA webpage. NIH will adjust awards on the anniversary date of the award to ensure consistency with the stipend level in effect at that time.

Visit NIH Grants Policy Statement: Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards for more information.

Tuition and Fees

NIH will contribute to the combined cost of tuition and fees at the rate in place at the time of award. The most recent tuition and fees levels are described on the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) webpage. Visit NIH Grants Policy Statement: Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards for more information.

Note: Because this program is solely for support during the PhD training period, the tuition provided per predoctoral fellow will be equal to 60% of the level requested by the applicant institution, up to $16,000 per year.

Institutional Allowance

The application should request a Kirschstein-NRSA institutional allowance to help defray the cost of fellowship expenses such as health insurance, research supplies, equipment, books, and travel to scientific meetings. The most recent institutional allowance levels are described via a link on the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) site. Requests for additional costs (such as to accommodate the disabilities of a fellow) must be explained in detail and justified in the application. Visit NIH Grants Policy Statement: Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards for more information.

Indirect Costs

NIH does not separately reimburse indirect costs (also known as Facilitates & Administrative [F&A] Costs) for fellowships. Costs for administering fellowships are part of Institutional Allowance.

NIH grants policies as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement will apply to the applications submitted and awards made in response to this FOA.

Section III. Eligibility Information


1. Eligible Applicants


Eligible Organizations

Higher Education Institutions

The following types of Higher Education Institutions are always encouraged to apply for NIH support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education:

Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education

For-Profit Organizations

Governments

Before submitting a fellowship application, the applicant fellow must identify a sponsoring institution. The sponsoring institution must have staff and facilities available on site to provide a suitable environment for performing high-quality research. The research training should occur in a research-intensive environment that has appropriate human and technical resources and is demonstrably committed to research training in the particular program proposed by the applicant fellow. The sponsoring institution may be private (profit or nonprofit) or public, including the NIH Intramural Programs and other Federal laboratories.

Foreign Institutions

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply.
Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply.
Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed.

Required Registrations

Applicant organizations must complete the following registrations as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. Applicants must have a valid Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number in order to begin each of the following registrations.

All Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PD(s)/PI(s)) must also work with their institutional officials to register with the eRA Commons or ensure their existing eRA Commons account is affiliated with the eRA Commons account of the applicant organization.

All registrations must be completed by the application due date. Applicant organizations are strongly encouraged to start the registration process at least 6 weeks prior to the application due date.

Eligible Individuals (Program Director/Principal Investigator)

Any applicant fellow with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as the Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) is invited to work with his/her sponsor and organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NIH support. Multiple PDs/PIs are not allowed.

By the time of award, the individual must be a citizen or a non-citizen national of the United States or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence (i.e., possess a currently valid Permanent Resident Card USCIS Form I-551, or other legal verification of such status). Individuals may apply for the Kirschstein-NRSA F31 in advance of admission to the United States as a Permanent Resident recognizing that no award will be made until legal verification of Permanent Resident status is provided.

Individuals must be enrolled in both a medical (MD or equivalent) and research (PhD or equivalent) degree granting program to be eligible for this award. Individuals who will have an MD degree prior to enrolling in a PhD program, who wish to apply for support for research training that includes a PhD degree, should respond to the funding opportunity announcement, NINDS Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards (NRSA) for Individual Postdoctoral Fellows (F32) (PA-11-113). Two other funding opportunities, the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards for Individual Predoctoral Fellows (F31) (PA-11-111) and to the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards for Individual Predoctoral Fellowships (F31) to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research (PA-11-112), are available to support applicants who are enrolled in programs that will confer research (PhD or equivalent) doctoral degrees only. However, applicants to NINDS who are in dual degree programs should apply for this FOA.

Support will be provided for all years of full time training leading to the research degree (up to a total of 5 years), so applicants are encouraged to apply early. Applicants may apply during medical school training for activation of this award at the start of research training. Applicants must show evidence of high academic performance, substantial interest in a research area of high priority to NINDS, and a training program appropriate to the mission of NINDS. Applicants are also encouraged to participate in a research area that provides an opportunity to take advantage of their dual degree training

Degree Requirements: A fellowship applicant must have a baccalaureate degree and be currently enrolled in a combined MD/PhD program, or other combined professional/clinical and research doctoral (e.g., DO/PhD) in the biomedical, behavioral, or clinical sciences at an accredited domestic institution. This Kirschstein-NRSA F31 may not be used to support studies leading to the MD, DO, or other clinical, health-professional training (e.g., DC, DMD, DNP, DO, DPM, DVM, ND, OD, AuD). Neither may these awards be used to support the clinical years of residency training.

2. Cost Sharing

This FOA does not require cost sharing as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

3. Additional Information on Eligibility


Number of Applications

NIH will not accept any application that is essentially the same as one already reviewed within the past thirty-seven months (as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement), except for submission:

Duration of Support

Individuals may not exceed the aggregate limit of NRSA support shown above in the Award Project Period. Applicant fellows must consider any prior NRSA research training in determining the duration of support requested. Information regarding previous Kirschstein-NRSA support must be included in the application and will be considered at the time of award.

Level of Effort

At the time of award, individuals are required to pursue their research training on a full-time basis, normally defined as 40 hours per week or as specified by the sponsoring institution in accordance with its own policies. Formal activities associated with medical school training may not be considered part of this research training.

Sponsor

Before submitting the application, the applicant fellow must identify a sponsor (sometimes called a mentor) who will supervise the proposed training and research experience. The sponsor should be an active investigator in the area of the proposed research training and be committed both to the research training of the applicant fellow and to the direct supervision of the applicant fellow’s research. The sponsor must document the availability of sufficient research support and facilities for high-quality research. The sponsor, or a member of the mentoring team, should have a successful track record of mentoring. Applicant fellows are encouraged to identify more than one sponsor, i.e., a mentoring team, if this is deemed advantageous for providing expert advice in all aspects of the research and training program. In addition to at least one sponsor having a significant track record in mentoring predoctoral students, at least one sponsor should be identified who can provide expert guidance in combining a research and clinical career. Each identified sponsor should provide a letter describing his/her participation in the applicant s training. When there is more than one sponsor, one individual must be identified as the principal sponsor who will coordinate the applicant fellow’s research. The applicant fellow should work with the sponsor(s) in preparing the application.

The sponsor should describe the research training plan for the applicant fellow (coordinated with the applicant fellow’s research strategy). The sponsor and any co-sponsors are also expected to provide an assessment of the applicant fellow’s qualifications and potential for a research career. The research environment and the availability and quality of needed research facilities and research resources (e.g., equipment, laboratory space, computer time, available research support, etc.) must also be described. The description should include items such as classes, seminars, and opportunities for interaction with other groups and scientists. Training in career skills, e.g., grant-writing and making effective presentations, is strongly encouraged.

Section IV. Application and Submission Information


1. Requesting an Application Package

Applicants must download the SF424 (R&R) application package associated with this funding opportunity using the Apply for Grant Electronically button in this FOA or following the directions provided at Grants.gov.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

It is critical that applicants follow the instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Fellowship Application Guide, except where instructed in this funding opportunity announcement to do otherwise. Conformance to the requirements in the Application Guide is required and strictly enforced. Applications that are out of compliance with these instructions may be delayed or not accepted for review.

Required and Optional Components

The forms package associated with this FOA includes all applicable components, mandatory and optional. Please note that some components marked optional in the application package are required for submission of applications for this FOA. Follow the instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Fellowship Application Guide to esnure you complete all appropriate optional components.

Page Limitations

All page limitations described in the SF424 (R&R) Individual Fellowship Application Guide and the Table of Page Limits must be followed.

SF424(R&R) Cover

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Individual Fellowship Application Guide must be followed.

SF424(R&R) Project/Performance Site Locations

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Individual Fellowship Application Guide must be followed.

Other Project Information Component

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Individual Fellowship Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions:

Additional Educational Information Required (Uploaded via the Other Attachments Section)

Certification Letter (Uploaded via the Other Attachments Section)

The filename provided for each Other Attachment will be the name used for the bookmark in the electronic application in eRA Commons.

SF424(R&R) Senior/Key Person Profile Expanded

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Individual Fellowship Application Guide must be followed.

PHS 398 Cover Letter

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Individual Fellowship Application Guide must be followed.

PHS Fellowship Supplemental Form

All instructions in the SF424 (R&R) Individual Fellowship Application Guide must be followed, with the following additional instructions:

Research Training Plan

Research Strategy

Applicant fellows must describe a tailored research training plan, including a description of the research strategy (preferably hypothesis-driven) well-suited to the stage of his/her career development. Describe the skills and techniques that the applicant fellow will learn during the award period, and discuss the relationship of the proposed research training to the applicant fellow’s career goals. The applicant fellow must describe the background leading to the proposed research, the significance of the research, the research approach (design and methods) for achieving the Specific Aims, the rationale, and expected/alternative outcomes of the proposed studies. It is beneficial to include pertinent preliminary data obtained by the applicant fellow in the current or prior laboratory. The applicant fellow should describe the training plan components that will prepare him/her to combine research and clinical activities as his/her career progresses.

Responsible Conduct of Research

Individuals are required to comply with the instructions for Responsible Conduct of Research as provided in the SF424 (R&R) Individual Fellowship Application Guide.

Additional Information

Doctoral Dissertation and Other Research Experience

Advanced graduate students must include a description of their doctoral dissertation (may be preliminary) and any other prior research experience. All graduate students should include any applicable research experience. Please note that while the instructions direct Predoctoral Fellows to omit this section, the information is required of advanced graduate students who have successfully completed their comprehensive examinations or the equivalent by the time of award and will be performing dissertation research. All graduate students should include any research experience, if applicable.

Sponsor(s) and Co-Sponsor(s)

In Training Plan, Environment, Research Facilities, the sponsor(s) must provide a detailed description of the institution's combined MD/PhD or other dual degree program and the sequencing of the applicant's graduate research and medical school (or other health professional degree) training within this program.

The sponsor(s), who will directly supervise the applicant’s research, should be an active investigator in the area of the proposed research and meet the eligibility requirements in Section III. The sponsor and any co-sponsors must describe in detail his/her commitment to, and proposed role in, guiding the individual applicant during the research training experience. The sponsor should describe the research training plan for the applicant (coordinated with the applicant’s own research training plan; see below). The sponsor and any co-sponsors are also expected to provide an assessment of the applicant’s qualifications and potential for a research career. The research environment and the availability and quality of needed research facilities and research resources (e.g., equipment, laboratory space, computer time, available research support, etc.) to the applicant must also be described. The description should include items such as classes, seminars, and opportunities for interaction with other groups and scientists. Training in career skills, e.g. grant-writing and presentation skills are strongly encouraged. The sponsor(s) should also provide a detailed description of his/her/their track record in training, which should include, to the extent known, information about subsequent positions and research activities of former trainees.

Appendix

Do not use the Appendix to circumvent page limits. Follow all instructions for the Appendix as described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

Letters of Reference

Applicant fellows must carefully follow the SF424 (R&R) Individual Fellowship Application Guide, including the time period for when letters of reference will be accepted (letters are due by the application due date as described in the Notice). Applications lacking the appropriate required reference letters will not be reviewed. This is a separate process from submitting an application electronically. Reference letters are submitted directly through the eRA Commons Submit Reference Letter link and not through Grants.gov.

3. Submission Dates and Times

Part I. Overview Information contains information about Key Dates. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications before the deadline to ensure they have time to make any application corrections that might be necessary for successful submission.

Organizations must submit applications via Grants.gov, the online portal to find and apply for grants across all Federal agencies. Applicants must then complete the submission process by tracking the status of the application in the eRA Commons, NIH’s electronic system for grants administration.

Applicants are responsible for viewing their application before the deadline in the eRA Commons to ensure accurate and successful submission.

Information on the submission process and a definition of on-time submission are provided in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

4. Intergovernmental Review (E.O. 12372)

This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.

5. Funding Restrictions

All NIH awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement. The National Research Service Award (NRSA) policies apply to this program. A Kirschstein-NRSA fellowship may not be held concurrently with another federally sponsored fellowship or similar Federal award that provides a stipend or otherwise duplicates provisions of this award.

Pre-award costs are generally not allowable for Fellowships.

6. Other Submission Requirements and Information

Applications must be submitted electronically following the instructions described in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide. Paper applications will not be accepted.

Applicants must complete all required registrations before the application due date. Section III. Eligibility Information contains information about registration.

For assistance with your electronic application or for more information on the electronic submission process, visit Applying Electronically.

Important reminders:
All PD(s)/PI(s) must include their eRA Commons ID in the Credential field of the Senior/Key Person Profile Component of the SF424(R&R) Application Package. Failure to register in the Commons and to include a valid PD/PI Commons ID in the credential field will prevent the successful submission of an electronic application to NIH.

The applicant organization must ensure that the DUNS number it provides on the application is the same number used in the organization’s profile in the eRA Commons and for the System for Award Management (SAM). Additional information may be found in the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide.

See more tips for avoiding common errors.

Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness by the Center for Scientific Review, NIH. Applications that are incomplete will not be reviewed.

Post Submission Materials

Applicants are required to follow the instructions for post-submission materials, as described in NOT-OD-13-030.

Section V. Application Review Information


1. Criteria

Only the review criteria described below will be considered in the review process. As part of the NIH mission, all applications submitted to the NIH in support of biomedical and behavioral research are evaluated for scientific and technical merit through the NIH peer review system.

For this particular announcement, note the following:

Overall Impact/Merit

Reviewers will provide an overall impact score to reflect their assessment of the likelihood that the fellowship will enhance the candidate’s potential for, and commitment to, a productive independent scientific research career in a health-related field, in consideration of the scored and additional review criteria.

Scored Review Criteria

Reviewers will consider each of the review criteria below in the determination of scientific merit, and give a separate score for each. An application does not need to be strong in all categories to be judged likely to have major scientific impact.

Fellowship Applicant

Are the applicant fellow’s academic record and research experience of high quality? Does the applicant fellow have the potential to develop as an independent and productive researcher in biomedical, behavioral or clinical science?

Sponsors, Collaborators, and Consultants

Are the sponsor(s) research qualifications (including successful competition for research support) and track record of mentoring appropriate for the proposed fellowship? Are there (1) evidence of a match between the research interests of the applicant fellow and the sponsor (including an understanding of the applicant’s research training needs) and (2) a demonstrated ability and commitment of the sponsor to assist in meeting these needs? Are the qualifications of any collaborator(s) and/or consultant(s), including their complementary expertise and previous experience in fostering the training of fellows, appropriate for the proposed research project? Is there evidence of an outstanding track record in training by the sponsor(s), including evidence of training outcomes, that suggest that the research training provided by the sponsor will foster a successful research career outcome for this candidate?

Research Training Plan

Is the proposed research plan of high scientific quality, and does it relate to the applicant fellow’s training plan? Is the training plan consistent with the applicant fellow’s stage of research development? Does the research plan address a scientifically significant problem? Is it original and feasible? Will the research training plan provide the applicant fellow with individualized and supervised experiences that will develop research skills needed for his/her independent and productive research career? Is the research project well-conceived, with clear hypotheses and potential alternatives considered? Does the research program take advantage of the dual degree training of the applicant?

Training Potential

Does the proposed research training plan have the potential to provide the applicant fellow with the requisite individualized and supervised experiences that will develop his/her research skills?

Does the proposed research training have the potential to serve as a sound foundation that will lead the applicant fellow to an independent and productive career? Does the proposed research training plan provide opportunities for the applicant to interact with a broad network of relevant researchers? Does the training plan address the special needs of an application in a combined MD/PhD program, and appropriately address issues related to fostering a successful dual career in medicine and research? Is there a specific plan for applicants to attend national scientific meetings and/or participate in appropriate networking activities?

Institutional Environment & Commitment to Training

Are the research facilities, resources (e.g., equipment, laboratory space, computer time, subject populations), and training opportunities adequate and appropriate? Is the institutional environment for the scientific development of the applicant fellow of high quality, and is there appropriate institutional commitment to fostering the applicant fellow s training as an independent and productive researcher?

Additional Review Criteria

As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will evaluate the following additional items while determining scientific and technical merit, and in providing an overall impact score, but will not give separate scores for these items.

Protections for Human Subjects

For research that involves human subjects but does not involve one of the six categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate the justification for involvement of human subjects and the proposed protections from research risk relating to their participation according to the following five review criteria: 1) risk to subjects, 2) adequacy of protection against risks, 3) potential benefits to the subjects and others, 4) importance of the knowledge to be gained, and 5) data and safety monitoring for clinical trials.

For research that involves human subjects and meets the criteria for one or more of the six categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the committee will evaluate: 1) the justification for the exemption, 2) human subjects involvement and characteristics, and 3) sources of materials. For additional information on review of the Human Subjects section, please refer to the Human Subjects Protection and Inclusion Guidelines.

Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Children

When the proposed project involves clinical research, the committee will evaluate the proposed plans for inclusion of minorities and members of both genders, as well as the inclusion of children. For additional information on review of the Inclusion section, please refer to the Human Subjects Protection and Inclusion Guidelines.

Vertebrate Animals

The committee will evaluate the involvement of live vertebrate animals as part of the scientific assessment according to the following five points: 1) proposed use of the animals, and species, strains, ages, sex, and numbers to be used; 2) justifications for the use of animals and for the appropriateness of the species and numbers proposed; 3) adequacy of veterinary care; 4) procedures for limiting discomfort, distress, pain and injury to that which is unavoidable in the conduct of scientifically sound research including the use of analgesic, anesthetic, and tranquilizing drugs and/or comfortable restraining devices; and 5) methods of euthanasia and reason for selection if not consistent with the AVMA Guidelines on Euthanasia. For additional information on review of the Vertebrate Animals section, please refer to the Worksheet for Review of the Vertebrate Animal Section.

Biohazards

Reviewers will assess whether materials or procedures proposed are potentially hazardous to research personnel and/or the environment, and if needed, determine whether adequate protection is proposed.

Resubmissions

For Resubmissions, the committee will evaluate the application as now presented, taking into consideration the responses to comments from the previous scientific review group and changes made to the project.

Renewals

For Renewals, the committee will consider the progress made in the last funding period.

Revisions

Not Allowed

Additional Review Considerations

As applicable for the project proposed, reviewers will consider each of the following items, but will not give scores for these items, and should not consider them in providing an overall impact score.

Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research

Taking into account the circumstances of the fellow, including level of experience, the reviewers will address the following questions. Does the plan satisfactorily address the format of instruction, e.g., lectures, coursework, and/or real-time discussion groups? Do plans include a sufficiently broad selection of subject matter, such as conflict of interest, authorship, data management, human subjects and animal use, laboratory safety? Do the plans adequately describe the role of the sponsor/mentor or other faculty involvement in the fellow’s instruction? Does the plan meet the minimum requirements for RCR, i.e., eight contact hours of instruction every four years? Plans and past record will be rated as ACCEPTABLE or UNACCEPTABLE, and the summary statement will provide the consensus of the review committee.

Applications from Foreign Organizations

Not Applicable

Select Agent Research

Reviewers will assess the information provided in this section of the application, including 1) the Select Agent(s) to be used in the proposed research, 2) the registration status of all entities where Select Agent(s) will be used, 3) the procedures that will be used to monitor possession use and transfer of Select Agent(s), and 4) plans for appropriate biosafety, biocontainment, and security of the Select Agent(s).

Resource Sharing Plans

Reviewers will comment on whether the following Resource Sharing Plans, or the rationale for not sharing the following types of resources, are reasonable: 1) Data Sharing Plan; 2) Sharing Model Organisms; and 3) Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS).

Budget and Period of Support

Reviewers will consider whether the budget and the requested period of support are fully justified and reasonable in relation to the proposed research.

2. Review and Selection Process

Applications will be evaluated for scientific and technical merit by (an) appropriate Scientific Review Group(s) convened by NINDS, in accordance with NIH peer review policy and procedures, using the stated review criteria. Assignment to a Scientific Review Group will be shown in the eRA Commons.


As part of the scientific peer review, all applications:

Applications will be assigned on the basis of established PHS referral guidelines to the appropriate NIH Institute or Center. Applications will compete for available funds with all other recommended applications submitted in response to this FOA. Following initial peer review, recommended applications will receive a second level of review by NINDS. The following will be considered in making funding decisions:

3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

After the peer review of the application is completed, the PD/PI will be able to access his or her Summary Statement (written critique) via the eRA Commons.

Information regarding the disposition of applications is available in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Section VI. Award Administration Information


1. Award Notices

If the application is under consideration for funding, NIH will request "just-in-time" information from the applicant as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

A formal notification in the form of a Notice of Award (NoA) will be provided to the applicant organization for successful applications. The NoA signed by the grants management officer is the authorizing document and will be sent via email to the grantee’s business official.

Awardees must comply with any funding restrictions described in Section IV.5. Funding Restrictions. Selection of an application for award is not an authorization to begin performance. Any costs incurred before receipt of the NoA are at the recipient's risk. These costs may be reimbursed only to the extent considered allowable pre-award costs.

Any application awarded in response to this FOA will be subject to the DUNS, CCR Registration, and Transparency Act requirements as noted on the Award Conditions and Information for NIH Grants website.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

All NIH grant and cooperative agreement awards include the NIH Grants Policy Statement as part of the NoA. For these terms of award, see the NIH Grants Policy Statement Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart A: General and Part II: Terms and Conditions of NIH Grant Awards, Subpart B: Terms and Conditions for Specific Types of Grants, Grantees, and Activities. More information is provided at Award Conditions and Information for NIH Grants.

The taxability of stipends is described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Inventions and Copyrights

Fellowships funded primarily for educational purposes are exempted from the PHS invention requirements and thus invention reporting is not required. More details, including exceptions for fellows training at NIH are provided in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Leave Policies

The NIH Grants Policy Statement: Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Awards describes NRSA leave policies. Applicant fellows may receive stipends for parental leave as described in NOT-OD-08-064.

3. Reporting

When multiple years are involved, awardees will be required to submit a Kirschstein-NRSA Individual Fellowship Progress Report for Continuation Support (PHS 416-9) annually. The report is due two months before the beginning date of the next budget period and must include information describing the current year's progress as well as the research and training plans for the coming year.

The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Transparency Act), includes a requirement for awardees of Federal grants to report information about first-tier subawards and executive compensation under Federal assistance awards issued in FY2011 or later. All awardees of applicable NIH grants and cooperative agreements are required to report to the Federal Subaward Reporting System (FSRS) available at www.fsrs.gov on all subawards over $25,000. See the NIH Grants Policy Statement for additional information on this reporting requirement.

Other Fellowship Reporting Requirements:
4. Evaluation

In carrying out its stewardship of human resource-related programs, the NIH may request information essential to an assessment of the effectiveness of this program from databases and from participants themselves. Participants may be contacted after the completion of this award for periodic updates on various aspects of their employment history, publications, support from research grants or contracts, honors and awards, professional activities, and other information helpful in evaluating the impact of the program.

Within ten years of making awards under this program, NIH will assess the program’s overall outcomes, gauge its effectiveness in enhancing diversity, and consider whether there is a continuing need for the program. Upon the completion of this evaluation, NIH will determine whether to (a) continue the program as currently configured, (b) continue the program with modifications, or (c) discontinue the program.

The overall evaluation of the program will be based on metrics that will include, but are not limited to, the following:

For programs involving graduate students:

Section VII. Agency Contacts

We encourage inquiries concerning this funding opportunity and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential applicants.

Application Submission Contacts

Grants.gov Customer Support (Questions regarding Grants.gov registration and submission, downloading or navigating forms)
Contact Center Phone: 800-518-4726
Email: support@grants.gov

GrantsInfo (Questions regarding application instructions and process, finding NIH grant resources)
Telephone 301-710-0267
TTY 301-451-5936
Email: GrantsInfo@nih.gov

eRA Commons Help Desk (Questions regarding eRA Commons registration, tracking application status, post submission issues)
Phone: 301-402-7469 or 866-504-9552 (Toll Free)
TTY: 301-451-5939
Email: commons@od.nih.gov

Scientific/Research Contact(s)

Stephen Korn, Ph.D.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Telephone: 301-496-4188
Email: Korns@ninds.nih.gov

Peer Review Contact(s)

Scientific Review Branch
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Telephone: 301-496-9223
Email: nindsreview.nih.gov@mail.nih.gov)

Financial/Grants Management Contact(s)

Ms. Tijuanna DeCoster, MPA
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Telephone: 301-496-9531
Email: Tijuanna.DeCoster@ninds.nih.gov

Section VIII. Other Information

Recently issued trans-NIH policy notices may affect your application submission. A full list of policy notices published by NIH is provided in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts. All awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.

Authority and Regulations

Awards are made under the authorization of Section 487 of the Public Health Service Act as amended (42 USC 288) and under Federal Regulations 42 CFR 66.


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